we are thinking of ordering a new caravan, fitted with a Tracker and alarm. Both of these run off the battery (obviously!). With our present van I can easily remove the battery to charge it up. That's not going to be an option for the new van, so I thought about using a solar panel just to keep the battery topped up for the alarm and Tracker.
So....what size solar panel should I aim for, how do I connect it to the battery to charge it, and do I have to buy anything else with it?
Thanks in advance!
------------- Glyn W.
What if the Hokey Cokey really is what it's all about....?
I use a 50 watt panel for mine when we go away but if you're going to leave the battery on it & just need it to be topped up while not in use, you can get trickle solar chargers that you can just leave in the window of your caravan for around a tenner just to keep the battery topped up. I use one on my leisure battery & haven't had it go flat.
Di + Glen W, you will find your van alarm and tracker as its own back up batterys. The tracker company says the battery should last 3 months without charge. and the alarm will last 2 months armed. My alarm does just lasts 2 months. with the 90 amp battery on the van, you do get 40 milli amp drain charging these batterys up. I now have a small solar panel on, and it has kept it going fine so far.even so the battery is well down when i come to use it, am not really worried as am always on EHU but i am going to get a bigger solar panel just to keep the battery in better nick.
------------- Roughing it in style at Calloose caravan and camping holiday park nr St Ives.(seasonal pitch)
Its not a hangover, its wine flu!
i have a van fitted with an alarm and tracker and i use a small trickle charger in the front window which is coupled up all the time.i also use a 65w solar panel for weekend or holiday rallies,plus the car charges the battery when towing.i am using a 80 amp gel battery with no problems.
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Topic: Solar panel query
